Welcome to English I

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Transcript of Welcome to English I

Welcome to English I with Mrs. Bolus!Our English I Class...A Year of Change...This is going to be quite an exciting year for you, from making the transition from textbooks to iPads to the changes in the grading system. The STEM School holds high expectations for its students, and I know that by doing your best, you can rise to meet them! I grew up in Sarasota, Florida, close to the Gulf Coast beaches. My family moved to Soddy Daisy in 2005, and I am still fascinated by the season changes. Since 1995, I have taught everything from 6th to 12th grade English, but 9th grade has always been my favorite! When I'm not at school, I love to read, watch movies, and have fun with my husband and our three wonderful daughters.First, a little bit about me...What Is It Like To Be an English I STEM Student?All That You Do Leads to a Successful PBL!All Roads Lead to The PBL...Google Classroom will be your best resource for our class. Assignments, homework, reminders, updates, and even material to prepare you for the next class will be posted daily, so it is important that you check our Google Classroom group and your email notifications EVERY DAY. Even if you are absent, you will be able to find your assignments on Google Classroom, so no need to ask for make-up work. We can also communicate on Google Classroom - you can post comments, questions, or information to me and the group at any time, even after school and weekends if needed. All Google Classroom postings, to teachers or student groups, must be about school topics/info - THIS IS NOT Instagram or Twitter .Your lifeline to our class...Your PBL, or Project/Problem Based Learning Task, is the culmination of everything you have learned over the course of the units in each subject - your instruction in all of your subjects prepares you to complete your PBL successfully. This is where your classmates become your most valuable resource since you work together in groups AS A TEAM to complete your PBL. Each PBL is focused on the essential question or strand for the unit, such as "Leadership and Collaboration" for Unit 1, and you will need to use innovation, critical thinking, and collaboration in order to create a successful PBL. I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT!!!Learning to Work Together...Collaboration is at the heart of the STEM School learning model, so it is important that we learn to work together! During the first days of school, we will establish norms for group work to help create a culture of mutual respect in the classroom, including expectations like:Use Table Voices and watch for the quiet sign.Ask 3 before asking ME.Be responsible and accountable for your work!Learn to use Servant Leadership - putting the needs of the group before your own.

One thing to remember: You cannot HEAR without first learning to LISTEN.Innovation is the Key... How are "Grades" Different?One of the biggest adjustments to life at STEM School is the grading system. Here are the most important points: The ONLY "grades" in the Power School gradebook will be formative (small) and summative (large) assessments for the Learning Targets to be mastered during each unit and PBL.Your goal is to master the English I TN standards (Learning Targets) throughout the school year. Projects and tasks will be assessed as Below Basic (50), Proficient (85), or Advanced (100). Below Basic is considered incomplete and remediation is needed to show mastery of the standard to Proficient or Advanced.Many assignments during the unit are for practice - feedback will be given to help you revise and improve your unit and PBL work.You MUST complete your daily assignments to have an opportunity to improve your unit assessment mastery levels. It's like a football team... scrimmages don't go on the team record, but if you don't practice, you can't win the real game!

Learning to love literature is just the tip of the iceburg...It's ALL about Respect...Respect When Others are Speaking...

Whenever someone is speaking to the class, whether it is the teacher instructing or a student presenting information, you should:have your eyes on the person speaking.have your iPad closed and headphones put away (not on your head/ears).be quiet and actively listening, preparing any evaluations or questions you might have.be sure all comments/questions are constructive and appropriate, respecting the feelings of others.remember to treat others the way you want to be treated when you are speaking.Be a Person of Your Word...What will we learn in English I?The iPad allows you to take your education into your own hands by using critical thinking and innovative techniques to help you grow as a learner. With the iPad, you will:use Google Docs/Drive to create assignments, organize your English documents, and receive feedback on writing assignments for peer, teacher, and self revision.use Google Classroom to keep track of assignments and have a safe line of communication with classmates and teachers.have research at your fingertips through the internet, including digital curriculum rather than textbooks.download ebooks onto your iPad to use for independent reading and whole-class novels.begin class each day with a choice of warm-up activities that allow you to work at your own pace on grammar, vocabulary, and independent reading.Our classroom is like a home away from home, and some days we spend more hours at school than we do at our houses! Let's treat it with respect:Always ask before touching or using something that belongs to someone else - respect the privacy of others and their things.You may eat and drink in class during independent work as long as you clean up after yourself, but no leaving class to get food.Put items away where you found them, especially our Maker's Space materials, and push in your chairs when you leave.Treat our things with care as if they were your own, being careful not to damage them.Intervention Charts: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Plfr4XJm0bnRIrngBVr-buIAv4dv7EpCQqVvltqAp0Q/edit?usp=sharingYour words are very powerful, even more so than your actions. We need to learn to use our words carefully:Choose your words wisely - your goal should be to help and build up, not hurt and break down.Come to class with a positive attitude ready to work as a team towards a common goal.Remember that emotional bullying carries the same consequences as physical bullying, and that applies to words on Google Classroom and social media like Instagram and Twitter, etc.Be trustworthy, responsible, and honest in all things.Just like Newton's 3rd Law of Physics, positive actions create positive reactions! BE POSITIVE!! Positive actions build trust and respect, where negative actions will create a need for Intervention Procedures.

Our class will focus on literacy, writing, speaking, and using textual evidence to support your conclusions:Fiction

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We will begin the year with Short Stories, reviewing the Elements of Fiction, and then we will move to the study of science fiction, poetry, novels, and drama.Nonfiction - Literature will be paired with related nonficton, such as articles and essays, analyzing and including evidence from both types of texts to support ideas when writing.Writing and Grammar - Writing is a constant in English I, and grammar is taught through editing and revising in context.Independent Reading

- The best way to improve literacy is to read constantly! Students should ALWAYS be reading independently and will be choosing ways to show mastery of standards reading through activities like blogs, creative projects,, presentations, and literary circles. You will be able to work at your own pace and choose your individual assessments!Respect Our Space and Our Things...Just For Fun...My email: bolus_lisa@hcde.orgOur Google classroom code: 9rhc3fSTEM School: 423-531-6270YOU are in charge of your learning and success, and you hold the keys to the future in YOUR HANDS!Please remember to fill out and submit the "Welcome to English I" Google Form and turn in the assignment in Google Classroom when you are finished sharing this with your parents/guardians. Thank you!